A Simple Conversation
by Cordys-Vision
Summary: Brian pays a visit to Ethan and Justin's apartment and has a little talk with Ethan.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Queer as Folk. If I did there would've been at least two more seasons. **

**A/N: Hi! So, I got this idea in my head and it just wouldn't leave me alone. So I wrote it out. Anyway, it's just a little conversation between Brian and Ethan that I wish had happened. I always found myself wishing Brian had said **_**something**_** to Ethan about taking care of Justin. Anyways enjoy and please review!**

**P.S. I couldn't remember if Justin had told Ethan about the bashing or not…if he did…just pretend he didn't. Although, I'm pretty sure he never told him. **

"Who are you looking for, Mr. Kinney?" The blonde woman behind the desk, said, looking up at him through her black framed glasses. Brian imagined she was the sort of woman who drove a mini-van and had three kids at home. He shuddered a little at the thought.

"Ethan Gold." Brian said in a confident voice. He'd learned at young age that 'fake it, till you make it' got you anywhere.

"Are you his father?"

Brian raised a brow. "Fuck no."

"His brother?" she asked, typing something or other on her computer. Weren't secretary types always doing that sort of thing?

"No." Brian answered her.

She paused, pushing her glasses up a little and then sighed. "Uh-huh. Are you related to Ethan Gold in any capacity?"

"No." Brian said, now, completely irritated with her. He had a simple request. He just wanted Ethan Gold's school schedule and his dorm room number. Was that SO fucking difficult?

"Well, Mr. Kinney, then I'm afraid I can't help you." She said, returning to her computer.

Brian stared at her open-mouthed for a few minutes. "And why is that?" He asked in sickly sweet voice.

"You're neither a family member nor a staff member at this school. Giving you 's information would be an invasion of his privacy. How am I to know that you're not his stalker?" she said not even bothering to look up from her computer this time.

"Trust me. I don't want to stalk him." Brian replied taking his sunglasses off to see her better. She wasn't bad looking, but she still had a vagina. He had no idea how to swing this situation. If it were a guy behind that counter…it would've been a _very_ different story.

"Then what exactly would you need his class schedule and dorm room number for?" She glanced up at him, eyeing him with incredulous look.

He blew out a breath, placing both hands on the counter, locking eyes with her.

"You're not ever going to give it to me are you?" He breathed.

She flashed him a polite little smile. "No. And if you ask again I'll have the campus security escort you off the property. Have a great day, Mr. Kinney."

"You too." He said sarcastically as he pushed off from the counter. That was fine. He'd find it on his own, couldn't be too hard right? The fiddler would be fiddling away, he'd be able to hear it right?

"Brian?"

Brian froze for a half a second. Sunshine. Shit. He bit down on his lip, mentally cursing himself. In his defense, he didn't know he'd be on campus at this time. He'd tried to deduce when he had class from how often he'd been home when they were together, but apparently that hadn't worked. He took a deep breath and then turned around, titling his head a little.

"Justin. Fancy meeting you here."

Justin raised a brow, folding his arms over his chest. "I go to school here."

"I know. I'm paying for it." He said with a little smile, shaking his head.

"What are you doing here?" Justin asked in a no nonsense type voice.

Brian shrugged. "Nothing much. Just…figured I should actually see it once or twice. And now that I have…" He shrugged again, turning in the opposite direction.

"Brian!" Justin yelled after him, and he turned around to look at him again.

"I'm…with Ethan now. So you can't just show up at my school and expect-"

Brian actually laughed out loud and then he shook his head. "I wasn't here for you. Scouts honor."

Justin frowned, looking confused. "Then…who?"

"Now that is NONE of your business, sunshine. Hurry along to class now. Draw something real pretty."

Justin frowned, hitching his bag up on his shoulder. "Brian…" He stared and then he shook his head. "You know what? I don't even care enough to find out what you're up to. Bye Brian." He mumbled pushing past him.

"Sunshine!" Just automatically paused, turning to face him.

"Just out of curiosity, where are you headed?"

Justin rolled his eyes. "Not that it's any of your business, but I 'm dropping some of my books off at the apartment, and then going to class."

Ah. So it was an apartment. Not a dorm. That made things easier.

"Have a good class." He said with a sarcastic smile.

Justin just frowned at him before exiting the building.

Brian waited thirty seconds, counting slowly before he followed the blonde outside. He could still see him, crossing the street, looking up at an apartment building. Bingo.

Brian ducked his head and began to follow him. He could really believe that he was doing this, but he needed to speak to Ethan. And this was the only way he could find him without going through that bitch of secretary. He flattened himself against the wall of the brick building watching him go up the staircase, thirty seconds later he followed him up the stairs too. Eventually he was watching him stick his key into the door of a tiny apartment. As soon as the door opened, Brian felt like vomiting. Sure enough, the fiddler was fiddling. He rolled his eyes, pressing himself into the shadows of the staircase landing and when Justin came running by, books in hand, rushing towards class he didn't even notice him. That was fine. That made things easier.

Brian waited a few minutes, listening to the violin. The guy was a genius. He couldn't deny that. No matter how much he was irritated by him. He made his way over to the door and knocked, patiently waiting for an answer. The music kept going like nothing had happened. Brian knocked again. Nothing.

Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock Kno-

"What are you doing here?" Ethan pulled open the door, mid knock. Brian was slightly taken aback by the abruptness, but he caught himself quickly.

"You and I need to have a conversation. " Brian replied, "Are you going to invite me in?"

Ethan was already trying to pull the door shut. "I already told you, I'm not working for you."

Brian rammed his foot in the door to keep it open. "I don't want you to work for me. I never really did. This is about something else."

"What could you possibly want to talk to me about?" Ethan asked in an exasperated voice.

Brian raised a brow, and then let out a little laugh. "Did you seriously just ask me that question?"

Ethan stared up at him for a minute, before sighing, and opening his door, ushering him inside.

"Sorry for the mess." He mumbled, setting down his violin.

Brian glanced around the apartment, and then let out a little annoyed sigh. It pained him that Justin was living in this shithole. It was silent for a moment or two and then Ethan spoke again.

"Is…Is Justin okay?"

"Well, you would know that better than me at this point. Is he?" Brian asked, his back turned to him as his eyes still roved over the apartment.

"He's fine. What do you want Brian?" Ethan asked, as Brian finally turned around to face him.

"I want to know that he's going to be taken care of." The words were very un-Brian like. But he didn't care. This conversation would never be heard by anyone else.

"He will be…" Ethan said in a soft voice. "I love him."

Brian winced. "Love is a lie that people tell themselves so they can fuck."

Ethan let out a laugh of disbelief. "That, right there, is the reason he left you." He shook his head locking eyes with him. "How could you let him walk away like that? Not that I'm not grateful…"

Brian rolled his eyes a little. "He knew who I was when we started this. I wasn't going to change for him. He always knew that. I didn't hold him in this relationship against his will. He was all for it. Until you came along."

Ethan just shrugged. "Someone would've eventually. You know that. Why couldn't you just say it? Why couldn't you just tell him that he meant something to you?"

Brian was stumped. Why couldn't he? He couldn't lie to himself. He knew that Justin meant something to him. Everything to him. So why couldn't he say it?

_Because a part of you knows that he deserves better._ A voice whispered in the back of Brian's head that sounded suspiciously close to Debbie's.

He ran a hand through his hair, shrugging. "Because he should've known." He said in a quiet voice and then he shook his head.

"Listen, this…isn't about me. I didn't come here to discuss the reason he's not with me anymore. I came here to discuss the fact that now, he's with you."

"Yes. He is." Ethan said, as if to reinforce the fact that they were indeed together now and Brian had no business here.

"You're what he wants. So don't fuck it up." He said, looking at the violin player.

"You're one to talk." Ethan said, sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"If you hurt him. I will have you murdered." Brian said, in a voice that was completely serious.

"Oh, this is rich, coming from the guy who hurt him more than anyone."

Brian resisted the urge to flinch at the words. "Were. Not. Talking. About. Me." He said emphasizing each word.

"I love him. I would never hurt him. You see, the difference between you and I is, I only want him. He's enough for me. I hope, that one day, someone, is enough for you too."

"Don't wish that on me." Brian shook his head quickly. "It's for hetero's. Or…wanna-be hetero's like you. I'm a queer. Always will be. " He turned to leave, but once he reached the doorway, he turned back around to look at him.

"When he wakes up from that nightmare…the one about the bashing…just rub his back for awhile. Hold him. He'll calm down. Then get him some water or some warm milk…he'll fall back asleep."

Ethan stared at him for a long moment and then tilted his head a little before asking,

"What…bashing?"

Brian raised a brow. "He didn't tell you?"

Ethan shook his head slowly. "He…won't tell me what the nightmares are about."

Brian grinned a little. He couldn't help it. At least one thing was still sacred between he and Justin. They'd both be forever traumatized by that night. He looked up at Ethan and then shrugged.

"Just…make sure you have some milk on hand. Goodbye Ethan." And then he was out the door before the other man could say anything at all.


End file.
